Abaxis

Abaxis was an American medical technology company focused on bringing blood testing closer to the patient. Founded in April 1989 by Gary H. Stroy, Richard Leute, and Vladimir E. Ostoich, the company was established around the goal of developing a compact analyzer capable of producing readings across a broad range of blood tests within minutes. This emphasis on rapid, decentralized testing distinguished Abaxis from conventional laboratory models that required samples to be transported to centralized facilities. The company initially developed technology for both human and veterinary applications. Its first commercial product, VetScan, was introduced in 1994 and established the brand in veterinary diagnostics. VetScan systems combined analyzers with dedicated reagent discs, allowing veterinary practices and animal hospitals to perform selected clinical chemistry, hematology, and related tests on site. The approach supported faster clinical decisions and simplified workflows for practices that might otherwise have depended on external laboratories. Abaxis followed VetScan with Piccolo, its first human diagnostic technology, in 1995. Piccolo extended the company's portable blood-analysis concept into human point-of-care environments, where rapid access to blood chemistry information could be useful in clinics and other near-patient settings. Across both product families, the business model centered on installed instruments supported by recurring sales of proprietary reagent discs and other consumables. Abaxis moved its headquarters from Mountain View to Sunnyvale, California, in 1992 and later relocated to Union City in 2000. It completed an initial public offering in 1992. During the same year, co-founder and president and chief executive Richard K. Leute resigned from the company for personal reasons, while remaining associated with Abaxis as a consultant; Gary H. Stroy subsequently assumed the chief executive role. The company reported its first net profit in 2001. Zoetis announced an agreement to acquire Abaxis in May 2018, seeking to expand its animal-health diagnostics portfolio. The acquisition was finalized in July 2018, ending Abaxis's existence as an independent public company. Its veterinary diagnostics activities and product technologies became part of Zoetis's broader animal-health business. Because product branding, distribution, and corporate presentation may have changed after the transaction, current availability should be confirmed through Zoetis or local regulatory and commercial materials.

Abaxis was founded in April 1989 by Gary H. Stroy, Richard Leute, and Vladimir E. Ostoich. The founders sought to create a portable blood analyzer that could provide doctors with results for as many as 80 tests within a few minutes. This objective placed the company within the emerging point-of-care diagnostics field, where compact instruments and disposable testing materials could move selected laboratory functions from centralized facilities into clinics and other care environments. The company was initially based in Mountain View, California. In 1992, it moved its headquarters to Sunnyvale and completed an initial public offering. The offering raised capital for the company's development and commercialization efforts. That year also marked a leadership transition: Richard K. Leute, who had helped establish Abaxis and served as its president and chief executive, resigned for personal reasons. Gary H. Stroy succeeded him, while Leute continued to serve the company as a consultant. Abaxis commercialized its technology first in veterinary medicine. In 1994, it introduced VetScan, an analyzer and consumables platform designed for blood testing in veterinary practices and animal hospitals. The system's use of dedicated reagent discs helped standardize testing and reduced the need for practices to maintain extensive laboratory infrastructure. VetScan became the company's principal veterinary diagnostics family and the foundation of its later importance in animal health. In 1995, Abaxis introduced Piccolo, its first human diagnostic technology. Piccolo applied the company's portable blood-analysis approach to human point-of-care use. Together, VetScan and Piccolo represented the two principal directions of Abaxis's business: veterinary diagnostics and broader near-patient blood testing. The company generally relied on a recurring-consumables model, in which analyzers supported continuing demand for reagent discs and related testing materials. Abaxis relocated again in 2000, moving its headquarters to Union City, California. It reported its first net profit in 2001, an indication that the company had progressed beyond the earliest development and commercialization stages. Over time, its systems were used by professional customers seeking quicker access to selected blood-test results without sending every sample to an outside laboratory. Zoetis announced in May 2018 that it had reached an agreement to acquire Abaxis. The transaction reflected Zoetis's interest in strengthening its veterinary diagnostics offering and gave it access to Abaxis's established analyzer, reagent-disc, and veterinary customer base. The acquisition was finalized in July 2018. Abaxis consequently stopped operating as an independent public company and became part of Zoetis's animal-health operations. The post-acquisition status of individual products and the extent to which the Abaxis name remains visible vary by market and should be checked against current Zoetis materials.

• 2018

  Zoetis announces acquisition

  [2]Zoetis to acquire Abaxiszoetis.com

  Zoetis announces an agreement to acquire Abaxis and expand its animal-health diagnostics portfolio.

• 2018

  Acquisition completed

  [3]Zoetis completes acquisition of Abaxiszoetis.com

  Zoetis finalizes its acquisition of Abaxis in July, integrating the company into its animal-health business.

• 2001

  First reported net profit

  [1]Abaxisen.wikipedia.org

  Abaxis reports its first net profit.

• 2000

  Headquarters move to Union City

  [1]Abaxisen.wikipedia.org

  Abaxis relocates its headquarters from Sunnyvale to Union City, California.

• 1995

  Piccolo launches

  [1]Abaxisen.wikipedia.org

  Abaxis introduces Piccolo, its first diagnostic technology for human point-of-care testing.

• 1994

  VetScan launches

  [1]Abaxisen.wikipedia.org

  Abaxis introduces VetScan, its first commercial product and its principal veterinary diagnostics platform.

• 1992

  Headquarters move to Sunnyvale and initial public offering

  [1]Abaxisen.wikipedia.org

  Abaxis relocates from Mountain View to Sunnyvale, California, and completes its initial public offering.

• 1992

  Leadership transition

  [1]Abaxisen.wikipedia.org

  Co-founder Richard K. Leute resigns as president and chief executive; Gary H. Stroy succeeds him, and Leute remains a consultant.

• 1989

  Abaxis is founded

  [1]Abaxisen.wikipedia.org

  Gary H. Stroy, Richard Leute, and Vladimir E. Ostoich establish Abaxis to develop rapid portable blood-analysis technology.

Rapid, decentralized blood testing for veterinary practices, animal hospitals, and other point-of-care healthcare settings.

• Veterinary diagnostic systems · 1994

  VetScan

  VetScan was Abaxis's leading veterinary product family. It combined analyzers with dedicated reagent discs and related consumables to support selected blood chemistry, hematology, and other diagnostic tests inside veterinary practices and animal hospitals. The platform was positioned around rapid access to results, simplified operation, and reduced dependence on external laboratories. Following the acquisition, VetScan became part of Zoetis's broader animal-health diagnostics portfolio.

• Human point-of-care diagnostic systems · 1995

  Piccolo

  Piccolo was Abaxis's first human diagnostic technology, introduced as a portable blood-analysis platform for point-of-care or near-patient environments. The system used an analyzer together with dedicated reagent discs to provide selected blood chemistry information without requiring every sample to be sent to a centralized laboratory. Its development extended Abaxis's core portable-testing concept beyond veterinary medicine.

• 2018

  Abaxis agrees to be acquired by ZoetisM&A

  Background

  Abaxis had built a specialized portfolio of veterinary and point-of-care diagnostic instruments, reagent discs, and consumables. Zoetis sought to broaden its animal-health diagnostics capabilities.

  Action taken

  Zoetis announced an agreement to acquire Abaxis, and the transaction was completed in July 2018.

  Aftermath

  Abaxis ceased to operate as an independent public company and its activities became part of Zoetis's animal-health business.

  Source

• 2018

  Zoetis agrees to acquire Abaxis[2]Zoetis to acquire Abaxiszoetis.com

  M&A

  Zoetis announced an agreement to acquire Abaxis, aiming to add the company's point-of-care diagnostic technologies and veterinary product portfolio to its animal-health business.

• 2018

  Zoetis completes acquisition of Abaxis[3]Zoetis completes acquisition of Abaxiszoetis.com

  M&A

  The acquisition of Abaxis was finalized in July 2018, after which Abaxis ceased operating as an independent public company.

1. 1Abaxisen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Zoetis to acquire Abaxiszoetis.com
3. 3Zoetis completes acquisition of Abaxiszoetis.com
4. 4Abaxis official websiteabaxis.com